Shireen Abu Akleh

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request the following records:

Records mentioning, relating to, or generated as a result of investigation or inquiry into Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh (3 January 1971 – 11 May 2022). Abu Akleh's death was widely reported, and publicly acknowledged (https://twitter.com/USAmbIsrael/status/1524286802135339008) by US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides. As such, privacy concerns under FOIA Exemptions 6 and 7 are voided, as are any concerns under the Privacy Act.

Abu Akleh's last name may also be spelled Abu Aqleh, Abu Aklah, Abu Aqlah, Abu Aqlah, Abu Aqla, or Abu Akla.

From 1997 until her death, Abu Akleh worked as a correspondent for the news channel Al Jazeera in the Palestinian territories, and was widely-known for her coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abu Akleh was killed while reporting on an Israeli military raid in the Palestinian city of Jenin; her colleagues at Al Jazeera and other news outlets accused Israeli forces of shooting Abu Akleh, while some Israeli officials implied that she may have been killed by Palestinian militants.

Please conduct a search of the Central Records System, including but not limited to the Electronic Surveillance (ELSUR) Indices, the Microphone Surveillance (MISUR) Indices, the Physical Surveillance (FISUR) Indices, and the Technical Surveillance (TESUR) Indices, for both main-file records and cross-reference records of both HQ and all field offices for all relevant names, agencies, organizations, companies and events including but not limited to those cited in the previous paragraphs and/or links as well as a cross-reference with the Southern Poverty Law Center to include any information provided by the SPLC. My request includes but is not limited to 137, 157, 176, 177, 183, 184, 188, and 214 files. If previously released records are available, then I request a rolling release consisting of those records while additional records are located and processed for release.

If any part of these documents are exempt from disclosure, please be sure to review and release all reasonably segregable nonexempt portions of responsive documents, as the FOIA requires.

I request that I be properly classified as a media requester. I am an investigative journalist who has written numerous articles on topics of public interest for the Intercept, the Daily Beast, the Asia Times, Responsible Statecraft, the National Interest, Reason Magazine, America Magazine and the Armenian Weekly, and I am requesting these documents in an editorial capacity. Please contact me if you have any questions about my media status.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 20 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Matthew Petti

Hi,

Thanks so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Matthew Petti